Automatic sliding gate



(No Model.)

I. W. EIKENBARY.

AUTOMATIC SLIDING GATE.

No. 426,787. Patented Apr.- 29, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

IRA \V. EIKENBARY, OF W VARREN, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC SLIDING GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,787, dated April29, 1890. v

Application filed February 10, 1890. Serial No. 339,908. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IRA \V. EIKENBARY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Warren, in the county of Huntington and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticSliding Gates, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic sliding gates; and itconsists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which fully illustrate my invention,Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the gate closed. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the gate opened. Fig. 3 is a vertical section onthe line :1: 0c of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the catch.

In carrying out my invention I set in the ground at one end of theroadway a vertical latch-post A, having a longitudinal slot B, in which,at a proper point of the height thereof, I secure the catch or holder(l, which is adapted to receive the projecting end of one of the railsof the gate, in order to prevent the same from moving laterally. Thiscatch or holder 0 is to be made of malleable iron or cast-iron, as shownin drawings, and is bent to provide the upwardly-inclined bottom D andthe inwardly-converging ribs E, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Thispeculiar con struction of the holder causes the gate to be guideddirectly to the proper point, even if it should swerve to one side inoperation.

On the side of the roadway opposite the post A, I set in the ground thelever-post F, which is higher than the latch-post A and has a cross-barG secured to its upper end, the said cross-bar running in the directionof the roadway. At one side of the roadway and a proper distance fromthe lever-post I erect the brace-post H, which is in the line of thelever and latch posts. This brace-post is connected to the lever-post byan inclined brace I and horizontal braces J. The inclined brace Iextends from the bottom of the brace-post to a point near the top of thelever-post, while the horizontal braces extend from a point near the topof the brace-post to a point on the lever-post near and below the upperend of the inclined brace. By this arrangement of the braces the twoposts are most effectually reenforced, and as all the operatingmechanism is supported by these posts the advantages of the same areobvious.

The operating-levers K K are fulcrumed on the transverse pins L, whichare secured to the ends of the cross-bar G and extend in oppositedirections along the line of the roadway, and are provided at theirouter ends with the depending handles M, as shown. In order to preventthe pins L from being bent and to enable them more effectually towithstand the strain put upon them,I provide the braces N, which aresecured at their lower ends to the sides of the lever-post and at theupper ends on said pins. The said pins are also connected by a link 'orconnecting-rod O, which, besides serving to. strengthen these pins,serves to prevent the inner ends of the 0perating-levers from lateralmovement, and consequently keeps them in proper position for the easyand successful operation of the gate. Theinner ends of the levers K arearranged near together and are connected by flexible joints with theupper ends of the depending pitinen P, the lower ends of the said pitmenbeing pivotally connected with the outer ends of the crank-arms Q,whichare pivoted to and extend from the lever-post near the lower end of thesame. These pitmen are secured together at an intermediate point oftheir length, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to secure a simultaneousmovement of both operating-levers. A vibrating arm or lever B is pivotedat one end to the upper end of the brace-post and at its other end toand between the pitnien P, near the upper ends of the same. The arm orvibrating lever B is made thicker at one end by means of two shortpieces. The thick end goes between the pitmen P, which forms a spring,as when the gate is open the inner ends of the levers will be up and thepitmen P will be pressed together at the top. The other ends of thelevers will not be below a level with top of lever-post, which willpermit a carriage or load of hay to pass through the gateway withoutinterfering with the lever. If the pitmen or springs become weak, thebolt that holds them together is removed and fitted in -amount of fromtwo to six pounds.

and when in its lowered position it lies parallel with the horizontalbraces J and has the appearance of one of the rails of the gate.

The gate is composed of vertical bars and horizontal rails securedtogether and braced in the usual manner, and it is supported on rollersS, which are mounted on the sides of the lever and brace posts. The toprail T of the gate is double or made in two branches, one of thebranches resting on and engaging said rollers, and in order that thegreater weight of the front end of the gate may not cause the rear endof the same to swing upward I provide a roller U on the side of thebrace-post, which bears against the upper edge of the top rail T. Thetop rail on. which the roller runs is faced with iron, which is intendedto break off ice and sleet, as the roller will break it off from ironmuch better than from wood.

The front vertical bar of the gate is extended somewhat above the gate,and to this extended bar I pivot the end of the front member V of atoggle'lever V, the rear member X of said lever being pivoted at itsfront end to the rear end of the member V, and having its rear endbifurcated and pivoted to the horizontal braces J J. The member V isprovided at or near its center with a short bar Y, which rests upon thetop rail of the gate when the sam'eis closed, and thereby causes thesaid member to have the appearance of being part of the gate.

The member V is connected by a liftingbar Z with the crank-arms Q andthe pitmen P, the lower end of the said lifting-bar Z being pivoted tothe common pivot of the pitmen and the crank-arms, and the. upper end ofthe same being pivoted within the bifurcation of the member X betweenthe end of the same and its pivotal connection with the member V.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts of my improvedgate being thus made known, theoperation of the same will, it isthought, be understood. \Vhen the gate is closed, it extends across theroad, so as to prevent travel through the gateway. A person approachingthe gate on horseback or in a vehicle can open the gate withoutalighting by drawing downward on the end of the operating-lever. Thegate will thus be caused to slide or roll open and the team permitted topass through, after which the driver pushes upward on the end of thesecond operating-lever, and thereby closes the gate. \Vhen the outer endof the operating-lever is drawn downward, the inner end of the same willof course be raised, and the pitmen P thereby drawn upward. The upwardmovement of the pitmen is applied directly to the lifting-bar andthrough it transmitted to the toggle-lever V. As the lifting-bar israised it acts directly on the rear member of the toggle-lever, as willbe readily understood, and causes it to swing upward on its pivotalconnection with the braces J J. The front member of the toggle-lever isthus made to fold toward the rear member and draw on the gate by reasonof its pivotal connection with the front end of the same, causing it toslide or roll open. Of course when the outer end of the operating-leveris pushed upward the several parts will be given a reverse movement andthe gate will be closed.

It will be observed that my device is composed of few parts, which aresimple in their construction and compact in their arrangement. By myarrangement of operating dc vices a powerful leverage obtained, so thata slight pull on the operating-lever will be suiiicient to open thegate. The operating mechanism is so arranged thatit does not dotractfrom the appearance of the gate, and yet is convenient of access when itis desired to repair or replace a broken or worn-out part.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

The combination of the latch-post, the lever-post, the brace post, thegate sliding on rollers mounted on the brace-post and the leverpost, thecross -bar at the upper end of the lever-post, the operating-leversfulcrumed on the said cross -bar, the crank-arms near the lower end ofthe lever-post, the pitmen connecting the said crank-arms with theoperatinglevers, the braces extending between the brace and the leverposts, the toggle-lever pivoted to the said braces and to the front endof the gate, the front member of said togglelever being provided with ablock Y, the liftingbar extending between the pitmen and the rear memberof the toggle-lever, and the vibratory bar having its rear end pivotedto the upper end of the brace-post and its front end pivoted to thepitman, as specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.V

IRA W. EIKENBARY. Witnesses:

I-I'ENRY K. GRAVES, ISAAC! E. EIKENBARV.

IOL

